Clinical Trials Activity on the Rise in China

According to a research report by Kline & Company, China has the potential to become a strong base for clinical drug research activity.

The country is attractive to pharmaceutical giants such as Roche and AstraZeneca due to its low clinical trial costs, large base of 1.3 billion patient population and broad disease profile, as well as the potential for rapid patient recruitment.

To drive the growth of the clinical trials industry, China contract research organizations (CROs) are now encouraged to follow international good clinical practices (GCP) and intellectual property (IP) standards. The State Food & Drug Administration (SFDA) is currently developing the necessary infrastructure to increase confidence in foreign investors since its entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO).

China has established itself as a low cost manufacturing hub for the pharmaceutical industry. The number of clinical trials increased 25 per cent between 2002 to 2004, with more than 250 trials in progress at one point sponsored by multinational companies.